The Fallen Servant
by Aliyanna
Summary: Once a Maiden strays across Algrim's path and thus becomes his servant, she learns of his past, and later on his future. ((Tales of Asgard!Universe)


"_I always wanted a world, to where I could trust..._" - Twila.

* * *

Water gazed my vision, a dark atmosphere that lured me deeper into the abyss of the dark sea, I only remembered little to nothing but a trange light collapsed over my vision, and then it all went black.

* * *

She was still, her eyes opened revealing a field of green, and some boulders near her, there was some flowers around, and she looked up, gazing around, then collapsed back to the cold hard ground, noticing many wounds, she did not see how drowning could cause such wounds. "Why so far from home, young mortal?" Someone asked, and she slowly got onto her knees, to look over her shoulder, to see the slender yet largely-sized wolf, whom wield the colors of dark shades of brown, she at first did not believe he was speaking to her, and that someone else called, but he stared on.

"What?.." She asked, tilting her head, where her long strawberry blonde hair fell, and white streks were revealed as tips on a lock of hair lingering down the side of her face, but it did not shun away her other eye, that both wielded the same color of dark shaded emeralds. "You do not smell of Asgardian." He stated, she gazed in shock, and misunderstanding. "But-how?-" She paused, mulling the memory of what her former caretaker May, whom had sent her into that very sea, she mentioned Asgardians, gods, many, but she must be dreaming instead. "I..am no asgardian." She stated. "But therefore, what are you?" He inquired, she could see a strange binding around him, which attached him to a boulder, but he was still able to lift his head high and mighty, to which he was big for a wolf, and his gaze never broke away, she expected the great wolf to want to eat her, but he did nothing.

"I am..a.." She tried to remember the words, her former caretaker was something along the lines of a Pegen, someone who worshipped the norse gods, and believed in them. She mentioned that humans would be referred as Midgardians, as they're world was called Midgard.

"I'm a..uh...Midgardian?" She said with a frown, her shoulders raised and became tense as the wolf stared longingly. "I sense hesitation and fear, young Midgardian, and rightfully so, no gods should be trusted here, for none have the right." He declared, pawing the rocks beneath him as he spoke with a rustling tone, he had a grave deep voice, and he had large teeth with matted fur, he also looked as if he had red eyes, something that worried her. "I do not trust - anyone." She declared with a harsh tone to the wolf, whom twisted his head to look off in the distance. "You are indeed clever, for you should not trust anyone in these realms, not even one of myself." He stated sharply. "I want to go home." She said, looking in fear as her heart raced, wishing to return to her former caretaker. He gazed back down at her, and then gazed back up, and made a noise that sounded a mix of a chuckle and a snarl.

"You are home now, young one, for there is no return to your homeworld, perhaps you should check the bifrost. As if that will help you." He laughed, and she wrinkled her nose. She looked over her shoulder, to see from afar was a giant kingdom, painted in gold and white. "What on earth?" She looked in confusion, and the wolf stared. "I hear company." The wolf declared, tilting his head at the smaller midgardian, she stared with a grim expression at her new acquintance. She then heard something racing, like hooves, and she looked in shock, and fled quickly, leaving the giant wolf on his rock as she made haste to escape, only to notice she was in the open, there was no forests she could see, only the giant wolf and the rock.

"No-no-no!" She shrieked, and ran near the giant wolf, but never too close. "I don't wanna be caught." She declared silently to herself, and saw many warriors approached near her spot where she once laid upon, and she hid herself against the rock, the great wolf's shadow loomed over her, so hopefully they did not notice. "Good morning Ander." The wolf smoothly said, but he sounded dull, as if in hatred. The biggest member of the group looked over to the wolf. "Fenris, we will never truly value your word, but did you witness anything in particular around here?" He asked. The wolf stared, by the name of Fenris, he cocked his head over to her, seeing her look in fear, then he glanced back to Ander. "No. I have not." He stated harshly at the warrior. "Is that so?" Ander narrowed his eyes at the wolf, whom shook violently. "Do I look as if I will lie? For what will it give to the likes of I? Will it free me? I think otherwise." He said grimly, and layed his head onto the rock. "For what are you looking for, great warrior? Since we're on the subject.." Ander paused, glaring at the wolf. "We saw a light near here, Odin sent us to investigate." "What a waste of time, for I see nothing in particular happening around here, it has been quiet all day, I would know, for I have spent half my adulthood on this rock." He said with a glare. Ander hesitated before turning away.

"Very well, we will check the other borders then, see if anything has changed there." He said, climbing onto a large steed, and his fellow warriors followed suit, and like that, they had left. She looked over briefly, and then at the wolf whom rested his head on the rock. "T-Thank you." She stammered. He opened one eye to glance at her, his eye was almost as big as her shoulder, and she bowed briefly. "Why did you help me?"

"I have no alliance with such disgraces, and what will I gain for simply telling them there was a young lady crossing my path?" He inquired, and then like a heartbeat, they both heard a noise, and her vision instantly went dark as something hit her in the back of the head. She fell to the ground, and Fenris stared in shock as Ander stood forth, and gasped, not realizing she was simply a young maiden, and he leaned in, nudging her. "Good job, great Ander, for you can only strike a mere maiden." "And only you will lie to me and hide her, and for what reason?" Ander asked, glaring at the giant wolf. "Your people may have bounded me, but you lost my trust, and therefore, I do not have to tell you anything." He declared, and Ander picked her up, taking her away as the great wolf watched on, and rested his head on the edge of the rock.

* * *

I opened my eyes, my headache had just begun by the moment of opening my eyes, only to look on as I was in a bed, and then looked over to see a tall man standing at the doorway beside a man, who..did not look like any man I ever knew, as his skin was indigo or a dark greyish blue indigo color, and he had long pointy ears, also he wore a long attire with many shades of golden and brown. "How is she?" The older man asked, and the dark elf's expression was out of view, but he had such strange features, he had such sharp cheekbones, he looked less friendly and more dangerous. "She is fine, I suppose, as Ander gathered, she was supposedly lost in Asgard, I'm assuming she was looking for her mother or father, she seems to be young, possibly around Loki's age or a year younger." He said. Odin nodded. "Very well, I'll speak with the rest of the council, see if she'll wake up." He said, walking out, and the dark elf twisted his head over to look at me, and I gazed in complete fear at him, he had black eyes, no one back home ever had those, not May, not any of the royalty at my home, infact, they had no talking wolves, or elves.

"Your awake." He said, holding a book and looking into it, I couldn't understand the language of the title, but gladly he wasn't staring at me, as he disturbed her greatly. "You had some wounds, and yet it appeared you could've also drowned. I'm uncertain what exactly happened, but otherwise I gave you a couple of patches." He said, and I expected the healers or maidens would do that instead, but I did not protest or say anything truly. "Where am I?" I spoke up, my voice was light and gentle as could be, as it always was. He gazed over to me, finally taking his eyes off the book, as if he was surprised by my words. "Your in the castle of Asgard. Doesn't your parents even tell you of the royal family?" He asked, he sounded old and weary, yet young and innocent, it was a strange mix as I eyed the strange drow. "I don't have parents. I was only raised by my caretaker May, but I don't know where she is.." I stated nervously, shuffling my hands. "Who are you?" I asked. Algrim was silent briefly as he walked over to me, still holding the book. "My name is Algrim." He sounded surprise, as if I did not know of him, was I supposed to?.. "And yours?" He asked. I hesitated and then spoke with a bit of gentleness behind it. "Twila." I admitted.. He looked surprised by my name, but nodded. "Very well." He said. "You look awfully young to be on the borders of Asgard alone, how did you get there either way?" He asked. "Am I not allowed?" I asked, I stared quietly at him, and he stood stern.

"Well...it simply depends, for we do not wish to take many risks, young one." I went quiet, not entirely certain how to respond. "Where's your caretaker? Or where did you last see her?" He asked, sounding a bit aggrivated, but I did not seem to care of his mood currently. "I do not know." I looked down dimly. "She was a witch, and she sent me underwater, telling me she'd use some spell upon me, to help me with a horrible wound I had.." Algrim gave on a look of surprise and confusion, it looked as if there was more behind that expression, and he simply returned to his normal expression and turned away. "Well where did you come from?" He asked, walking away to a shelf with where many books set over a fireplace, most likely looking for a map of some sort. I was silent. "I don't know...May never really told me where we lived." I admitted.

He looked odd as he sorted through the maps, then finally he pulled out a scroll. "Uhmm..can I ask a question? Mister...Algrim?...I..I really don't mean to sound rude or anything..I really don't..I just...I'm..uhm...what are you?..I didn't see anyone that looked like you back at my home...not that it's bad or anything.." I stated nervously, I was scared if I sounded rude. He was quiet at first, then walked over to a pedestal holding the scroll. "I am a dark elf. Infact he last one for your information." He stated, and flicked a finger towards me as of to beckon me over. I slowly got off the bed, my shoulders went tense as I walked over to the dark elf, he was certainly allot taller then I was. "What's that?" I asked nervously as I came to his side, but never too close, I kept my hands together which was almost folded beneath my ruined dress's sleeves. "This is a map of the nine realms." He stated, and I nodded. "This is Asgard, this is the castle where we reside currently now, and here we found you on the very edge of the border." He gestured with hand, pointing to the castle on a mountain then making it's way down to the border.

"I don't know of Asgard truly, mister Algrim." I admited, I truly did not know any of these realms, they all seemed confusing and such, but I did not say anything, I didn't wanna come off rude to the mysterious drow. "Do you not?" He raised a silver brow at me, and then simply folded up the map, and put it into it's proper case, and set it aside next to a deal of many scrolls, and picked out one of them, and placed it on the pedestal. "Here's the nine realms, perhaps once you hear your realm's name, you may recall it." He said flatly as he folded it across the pedestal, and I saw many concepts of the realms on a strange tree, it reminded me of a story my caretaker used to tell me when I was five, declaring me of the founding gods, and many other realms, I was still too young to remember all of it, but it was quite the memory.

"Here, like said, is Asgard, home of the gods." He declared, pointing to a royal city on the map, it looked very gorgeous, and I nodded for him to continue on. "Then there's Vannaheim, Aflheim, Nidavellir, Jotunheim, and-" He paused briefly at one of the pictures, it depicted a strange-looking land, it appeared like a swamp-like place, or a dark jungle. "That's Svartlfheim." He said, he sounded depressed and in grief, I looked in surprise by his tone, I wondered why it hurt him, and I wished to ask, but I felt it was out of place, and decided not to. "Svafaflheim?" I pronounced it oddly, it sounded allot better when he said it, and then he eyed me weirdly, but he quirked a brief smile, but it faded instantly as another thought crossed his mind. "Svartlfheim." He said. "Svartlfheim?" I asked. "Better." He stated flatly. "That was my home." He said, looking dim, his tone showed grief, and his eyes shun with sorrow, so I couldn't help but ask. "What do you mean by it was your home? What happened to it?" I asked, my tone was racked with a bit of fear, and the dark elf glanced at me as if he was offended by my tone. "It...was destroyed. By the jotuns, they..destroyed it, and aswell as all that lied within it, killing off my race, and my family." He admitted, with a bit of sorrow that lied behind his voice, and I felt repentant for questioning the dark elf of it.

"We asked for help from Odin, but he refused my kind, and we were forced to get help from Surtur, a demon, but he was defeated by Odin, rendering us defenseless and therefore was all slayed." He finished with a solemn expression and his tone seemed wildered with grief. "But..if Odin defeated him, and caused the deaths...why do you serve him?" I asked nervously, my shoulders went tense as he eyed me with a strange glint in his eyes, as if something behind my words he disliked. "He..may have indirectly caused the downfall of my race, but he had taken me in, with nowhere else to go, I was granted no other choice, he gave me sanctuary, and for that, I am grateful." He declared. "I'm..sorry..I didn't mean to bring up bad memories-" I began, but he turned to me and spoke with a bit of modesty behind his tone. "Rest easy..I have grown used to it in time, it would not change anything If I simply spoke of it." He said, and I nodded nervously. "Sorry Mister Algrim..sir.." I added skiddishly as I looked down briefly, he could tell I was still a bit nervous apparently, and I was surprised how gentle he sounded as he spoke once again. He gave a brief faint laugh, even though it sounded brisky and not so granted with affection, but it was to be expected I suppose. "You do not have to refer me as Mister, young maiden..simply refer me as Algrim." He said, placing his hands together briefly as he looked down at me, and I nodded nervously, and then he turned away. "Let's simply return to the map." He said, disregarding any future apologies I would say, and I let my guard down briefly as I came a bit closer to look at the strange map.

"And this is Muspelheim." Algrim said, pointing to a strange realm, with ignited flames of such. I thought it looked interesting, but I recalled none of these realms at all. "I do not know of any of these realms." I said nervously, none of them came to my mind at all, and Algrim seemed confused, and then he narrowed his eyes briefly until something else caught my eye on the map. "What about that realm?" I asked, pointing to another realm, to see if he wouldn't stare anymore like he did, and he did, glancing back to the map, and then he quirked up a brow in a bore expression.

"That would be Midgard." He stated. "Home of humans and men." "Humans?..I'm human, so wouldn't that be where I'm supposed to be?" I asked nervously to the tall dark elf, and he looked in disbelief. "It is impossible for mortals to come into Asgard, young one, you must be mistaken." He stated drly. "It is no mistake. I'm midgardian!" I stated, and then he looked on with an unfortunate expression. Suddenly that stirred me up a bit, the only reason I came here was because of May, she...she served some type of creatures, gods? Did she send me here? "There was a spell that casted me here, by May, cause she's a witch, on Midgard!" I stated flatly. Algrim narrowed his eyes, as if in disbelief, and then finally something apparently crossed his mind as he declared his next words carefully. "So you are a mortal?" He asked, and I stared with a raised eyebrow then nodded. "Yes, I am.." I said nervously, becoming instantly shy, and Algrim smiled briefly, as if amused by my shyness, but his smile faded as he looked at my wounds.

"It does not look like you were sent here by accident.." He looked as if he was putting in consideration of my wounds, I wondered briefly if he thought that May purposely sent me here, or was actually trying to kill me. "Odin will not be pleased knowing this..surely once I tell Odin of this, he will escort you back to Midgard..but.." He looked in concern. "Is that witch your mother?" He asked. "I don't know..she didn't say.." I added nervously, looking down at the floor, I felt too scared to saying anything to the dark elf, but he was probably the first man and yet different race I ever met, I suppose it was obvious. "I don't think she's my mother though, when I asked her where my parents was, she didn't say." I said, not reaching his eye, I could only simply see my strawberry blonde hair going down my chest from my posture, then I suddenly noticed how real my wounds were, they were criss-crossed with scars across my arms, and strange burns, yet I drowned, how could have I obtained such wounds? I also looked very underfed, which I was indeed, I guess the dark elf was thinking horrid thoughts of what May had done to me. Algrim was quiet, and then looked over to the map.

"I will speak with the council and Odin about it." He declared and walked past me. "In the meantime, simply stay here." He suggested, and then grabbed a book and handed it to me. "Here. I'm uncertain if this will entertain you, but it's something I used to read to my-" He paused briefly, and I looked at him in confusion. "Simply read it, it's the all-tongue, so you should understand it I believe." I was curious of what he was to say before, but I took the book, and nodded. "Thank you si-Algrim." I said, bowing slightly, and he seemed surprised, and nodded, turning away and exiting the room.

* * *

An hour or two later, I was reading the strange book, of a strange tale, of a strange knight, whom was a dark elf, alongside his brother, did he manage to take down any powerful enemies, and would rid the world of any possible evil, it was a cute tale, allot cuter then the ones I read from May's books, and I simply flipped the page, to see many dark elves, they all looked quite similar to eachother, but some would not have the strange cheekbones. Suddenly a name caught my mind, an odd and strange one, by the name of - Malekith. A dark elf whom loomed over his land, with no trust granted by others, and even casted out by his own king, he was said to have been a powerful mage, but no power was enough for him, for only darkness lied in his eyes said the writings on the book. I felt it was an odd book, for many to be, I suppose. Suddenly the door finally creaked open, and I looked over, to see whom stood, and the tall drow walked to my side, placing a hand onto my shoulder. He gave an unfortunate expression, and that made me nervous, was I going to be killed? Or worse? "Odin tells me that, you will be taken in as my servant, for you are too weak and will surely die upon being let back on Midgard, at least for now you will reside here." He stated simply, and I looked in shock, May told me being servants was never treated very good by our neighboring king and queens, so what would become of me? "W-what?!" I looked in shock.

"No need to be like that, Twila..I will treat you fine, there is nothing to be worried of. And it's just for now." He declared, and I looked down nervously, feeling very overall worried. "Come, I'll show you your room, you'll get your personal room, as I don't want you to get sick easily, the servants have been having a flu." He declared, and I looked nervous as I stared at the elf, whom noticed my fear, and gave a deep sigh, and grabbed my hand gently. "Come." He calmly said and I walked alongside him out of his room, the place was quite pretty, at first I thought it was night in Algrim's room, he must like it dark as we walked into one of the corridors.

For a brief moment, as I looked over the corner of my eye, I saw two boys standing side by side, glancing at me, one was bulkier and taller compared to his smaller emerald-eyed and scrawny brother. "Here." Algrim nudged me into a room, and I walked in nervously, it was a small room, but it would do I suppose. "Here, wear this dress, I..think it would help..." He looked a bit disturbed briefly, and I wondered why, only noticing at how short my dress was, and how cut up it was, and I felt my shoulders tense up instantly.

"Sorry.." I said shyly. He handed me the dress, and I took it gently. "Thank you, very much..Algrim." I said, bowing, but Algrim simply pressed a hand onto my shoulder. "You do not require to do that for me, only to the royal family." He said, his voice sounded gentler now, and I smiled shyly. "Okay..thank you." I said, and he gave a brief smile, but it faded as he looked over to the door.

"I will leave you be then, you should rest and I will wake you up when needed." He said, and turned away, walking out of the room, and I watched on before laying down in the bed of the room, I had a balcony ironically aswell, it was quite nice I suppose. I was always too scared and border-line shy of strangers, including men, I never spoke to men at all before, I simply had to hope I'd get along with this royal family for now. ~


End file.
